Gearing for washing-machines.



G. L. DAVIS. GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAYI9,191s.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lm 1 0 PI M 7 mm Inventor Witnesses Attqrneys G. L.DAVIS.

GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAYIQ, 1916.

1,236,547. Patented Aug. 14, 1917. n

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor r 1/ Attorneys GEORGE L; DAVIS, or. BINGHAMYTON, new YORK;

'G-EARTNG FOR WASHING-MACHINES.

mascara To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE citizen of the United States, residing atBinghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, haveinvented'a new and useful Gearing for Washing-Machines, of which thefollowing isa specification. This invention relates to washing ma-DAVIS, a

chines and more particularly to means whereby either or both the washingmechanism and. the wringing mechanism can be driven from a single motor,the driving mechanism being simple and compact'in construction andeasily controlled,

A further object is to provide wringer mechanism including means wherebythe wringer can be adjusted to any desired angle relative to its driveshaft without in any ,wayinterfering with the operation of thedrivingmechanism.- With he foregoing and other objects in view whichwill appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in thecom bination and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafter de-' scribed and claimed, being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed,- can be madewithin the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spiritof the invention.

, In the accompanying drawings the pre ferred form of the invention hasbeen'shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view .ofa machine embodying thepresent improvements, a portion of the tub being broken away and thewringer being shown by dotted lines in the dlfierent positions to whichit may be moved.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of thestructure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the base of the wringer structure andshowing the means employed for fastening the structure in anypositionwto which it may be adjusted angularly.

Fig. 4 is a section on line A-B Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures b characters of reference '1 designates the tuofa washing machine, the same being provided, in'the present instance,-with a fixed segmental cover section 2 and a movable vcover section, 3.Fixedly mounted on the cover section 2 is a structure 4 in which isjournaled a drive shaft 5 to which is secured a worm wheel Specificationof Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 141, 191'? Application filed May 19,1916. Serial No. 98,624. I

through a belt 10 from a motor 11.

A shaft 12 is journaled in the structure 4 and alines with shaft 5. andsecured to this shaft 12 is a crank arm 13 which works within a portionof the structure 4 and engages the enlarged transversely slotted end ofa rack bar 14, said bar working within a transverse slot 15 in thehousing or structure 4. The rack bar is designed to ,reciprocate withina guide 15 secured upon the tub cover 3, and a gear 16 constantly mesheswith the rack, this gear engaging the stem 17 of the washing element 18located in the tub. Thus when the rack bar is recipro cated during therotation of shaft 12, the

stem 17 and the parts carried thereby will be rotated back and forthwithin the tub. The cover section 3 has hinge members 19 and 20extending therefrom and engaging the shafts 12 and 5 respectively.

' Feathered on the shaft 5 is a cluth member 21 and another clutchmember 22 is secured to the shaft 12 A stem 23 is journaled within thestructure 4 and has a crank arm 24 at its lower end which works withinan annular groove 25 in the clutch member 21.

A handle 26 or the like is provided at the outer end of the stem 23whereby said stem can be rotated readily. A coiled spring 27 is mountedon the stem and serves to press the. crank arm 24 yieldingly intoengagement with the clutch member 21. It will be apparent thatby-providing the crank arm 24 and the parts for actuating it, the clutchmember 21 can be shifted into or out of engagement with the clutchmember 22, thus either coupling the two shafts 5 and 12 or uncouplingthem. When the shafts are coupled, motion willbe transmitted from motor11 to the washing-member 18 whereas, should the two'clutch membersbedisconnected, the

washing member 18 will remain stationary while shaft 5 continues torevolve.

The structure 4 is provided at one end with an'extension 28 providedwith an upstanding cylindrical hollow bearing '29 which projects intothe enlarged lower end 30 ofa housing 31. The lower end portion of thishousing is split longitudinally as at 32, and ears 33 and 34 areextended outwardly fromthe housing close to the opposed edges of theslit. A stem 35 extends loosely through the car 34 but has a threadedportion which engages the car 33. This stem is provided with a collar 36which bears against car 34 and any suitable means, such as an arm 37 maybe provided on the stem 35 to facilitate rotation thereof. Obviouslywhen the stem is rotated in one direction it will be unscrewed from theear 33 and will thus permit the housin 31 to rotate readily upon thebearing 29. owever, by reversing the rotation of stem 35, said stem willbe screwed into the ear 33 and will cause collar 36 to press against ear34, thus pressing the edges of the slit 32 toward each other and bindingthe housing on the bearing 29. The housing 31 is thus held againstrotation relative to the bearing. With this fastening means, housing 31can be adjusted angularly through one or more degrees and can then besecured so to be held against further movement.

The shaft 5 is extended into extension 28 and has a bevel gear 38 whichmeshes constantly with a gear 39 secured to the lower end of a verticalshaft 40 journaled in the top bearing 29. Secured to the upper end ofshaft 40 is a gear 41 and this gear constantly meshes with opposed bevelgears 42 and 43 loosely mounted on a shaft 44 which is journaled in thehousing 31. This shaft is extended into a wringer frame 45 supported byand beyond the end of extension 28 and a roller 46 is carried by theshaft and coiiperates with another roller 47 parallel therewith.

A clutch member 48 is feathered on the shaft 44 and, when in anintermediate position, is out of engagement with both of the gears 42and 43. This clutch member has an annular groove 49 intowhich projects acrank arm 50 provided at the lower end of a stem 51 which is journaledin the top of the housing 31. A handle 52 is connected to the upper endof the stem and by means thereof the crank arm 50 can be shifted to movethe clutch member 48 into enga ement with either of the gears 42 or 43,t us to couple said gear tothe stem 44. A spring 53 is mounted on stem51 and bears downwardly against crank arm 50, thus to press said crankarm into engagement with the clutch member.

It will be obvious that by shifting crank arm 50 so as to brin clutchmember 48 to an intermediate positlon, gear 41 can rotate 'both of thegears 42 and 43 without actuating shaft .44 and the rollers of the vwringer. However, by shifting clutch mem- 60 heme into engagement withgear 42, motion will be transmitted through said gear to shaft 44 andtherollers of the wringer will be actuated tocarry fabrics in onedirection. By shifting clutch member 48 into engagement with gear 43,the rollers of the wringer will be actuated to carry thefabrics in theopposite direction. Obviously this actuation of the wringer mechanismwill be effected irrespective of any degree of angular adjustment of thewringer relative to its supporting structure.

Importance is attached to the simple and efficient means whereby thewringer is locked in any position to which it may be adjusted eventhough such adjustment should only be through a fraction of a degree. Byadjustably mounting the wringer 1n this manner it can be brought to anyposition most convenient to the operator and will at all times beproperly coupled to the driving mechanism so as to be operated to carryfabrics in either direction or to be uncoupled from the drivingmechanism.

What is claimed is 1. In a washing machine the combination with asupporting structure and a drive shaft journaled thereon, of acylindrical bearing member carried by said structure, a concentric shaftjournaled within said member, means for transmitting motion'to saidshaft from the drive shaft, a housing mounted for rotation upon thebearing member, said housing embracing the bearing member, a wringerstructure movable with the housing'and lncluding a shaft extending intosaid housing, a gear upon the shaft in the bearing member, gears uponthe wringer shaft and constantly meshing with the first named gear, saidgears being loose on the wringer shaft, means for coupling either of thegears to the wringer shaft, said housing being adjustable angularly uponthe bearing member, and means for contracting the housing to bind uponthe bearing member.

2. In a washing machine the combination with a bearing member circularin cross section, a gear concentric with said member,

and means for rotating the gear, of a housing embracing and supported bythe bearing member, a wringer movable with the housing, means within thehousing for transmitting motion in either of two directions from'saidgear to one of'the rolls of the wringer, and means for binding thehousing upon the bearing member to hold said housing against rotation.

3. The combination with a bearing member circular in cross section and agear concentric therewith, of a housing bearing upon and embracing thebearing member, said housing having a split contractible end, a wringermovable with the housing, means for transmitting motion in either of twodirectlons from said gear to one of the rolls of the wringer, and meansfor contracting the spllt end of the housing to bind it upon the bearingmember.

4. The combination with a bearing member circular in cross section, of ahousing embracing and supported by the bearing member, the lower portionof that part of the housing embracing the bearing member being split, awringer structure movable with the housing, means for actuating the'rollers of the wringer structure-independently-of the angularadjustment of said rollers and housing relative to the bearing member,and means for contracting the housing upon the bearing member to holding against rotation.

5. In a washing machine, a bearing mem-' ber circular in cross section,a housing em-' bracing andsupported by the bearing member,a wringerstructure movable with the housing, operating mechanism within thehousing and bearing member, means for shifting a portion of theoperating mechanism to operate the wringer rolls to feed fabrics ineither of two directions, or to uncouple said rolls from the drivingmechanism, and means for binding the housing 'upon the bearing member tohold said housing against rotation.

6.v In awashing machine, a bearing member circular in cross section, ahousing embracing and supported by the bearing memher, a wringerstructure movable with the housing, operating mechanism within thehousing and bearing member, .means for shifting a portion of theoperating mechathe houstilt 'nism to operate the wringer rolls to feedfabrics. in either of two directions, or to uncouple said rolls from thedriving mechan sm, said housing having its lower portion split, andmeans for contracting the split a portion of said combined. housing andclutch to bind it upon the bearing member and hold the housing againstrotation a wringer fixedly connected to and movable,

with the housing, a shaft journaled within the housing for actuating thewringer, and

gearing within the housing for transmitting motion from one shaft to theother.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE L. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

M. R. CHRISTIAN, O. A. BRAZIE.

